Dripping Thunder
by The Sacred and Profane
Summary: Tifa waits for her husband to get home and has some fun. ReTi oneshot for KCVII.


Dripping Thunder

AN: I own nothing in this story. This is for KCVII so enjoy. Please R&R.

Dark clouds were split by lightning and off in the distance thunder boomed while the rain pelted the roof of Tifa's house. Glancing out a nearby window, she watched the fierce storm, hoping Reno would get home safely. But a cry soon caught her attention, coming from the same room she was about to enter.

"Mommy!" Opening her daughter's bedroom door, Tifa entered and quickly sat down beside the shivering 7 year old. The child hugged her mother tightly, her long red hair trailing behind her.

"Don't worry Elly, I'm right here," she said soothingly, her fingers sifting through Elly's hair. Elly looked up at her with watery brown eyes.

"S-swears?" Tifa smiled down at her and crooked her pinky around Elly's.

"Swears..." Thunder boomed once more and Elly buried her face in her mother's stomach.

Tifa needed to take her daughter's mind off of the storm. But what could she do? Looking around the room, she finally noticed the volume of fairy tales perched on the bookshelf.

"Elly, do you want to hear some fairy tales?" Elly looked up at her mother once more and nodded. So Tifa grabbed the book from the shelf and moved Elly to her lap, the little girl still snuggled up to her mother.

"Don't forget to do the voices mommy," Elly said softly. Tifa smiled and soon started reading.

Elly giggled every time her mother lowered or raised her voice to portray whatever character was talking. Eventually though, the child got tired of the fairy tales and her eyes started to droop.

"Sleepy time Mommy..." Elly murmured. Tifa gave a wide yawn in response causing Elly to laugh. "Silly Mommy..." But soon enough Elly closed her eyes, snores coming from her now slumbering form.

"Just like your father," Tifa whispered before joining her daughter in sleep, even louder snores emanating from the barmaid.

* * *

When Tifa opened her eyes again, she was met with her daughter's grinning face.

"It stopped raining mommy!"

"It did?" Elly nodded and helped her mother up, falling back onto her rear as she did so. Once Tifa was on her feet, she helped her daughter up. "So what do you want to do next?" Elly thought for a moment before jumping up and down.

"Horsey ride!"

"Horsey ride eh?"

"Yep!" Tifa then got on her hands and knees, Elly clapping in delight before hopping onto her mother's back. Tifa went out of the bedroom and around the living room several times before Elly began to get tired of their play. Tifa stood up, Elly's arms wrapped around her neck.

"Do you want to color now?" Tifa asked. Elly shook her head.

"Daddy..." Elly said softly.

"He'll be home soon," Tifa replied. She bounced around a little then, the motion making Elly bob up and down. She started laughing and Tifa smiled. She loved making her daughter laugh. This went on for several minutes until the front door opened, revealing a soaking wet Reno, his red hair out of it's usual ponytail. Tifa walked up to him and placed a kiss on his cheek with Elly smiling at her father from her position on Tifa's back.

"Hi Daddy!" Reno looked at Tifa.

"It looks like you have a little snug bug attached to your back," he observed.

"I don't know how it got there," Tifa replied, playing along with her husband.

"Daddy, Mommy, quit being silly!" Reno then looked at his daughter and plucked her from Tifa's back, the little girl's arms instantly wrapping around Reno. Reno gave her some butterfly kisses and Elly laughed.

"Did you have a fun day with Mommy, snug bug?" Elly nodded.

"We read stories, took a nap, and played horsey."

"Sounds fun...but I know something just as fun," Reno said, lowering his voice. Elly's eyes went wide.

"What is it?" Elly replied just as quietly.

"Puddle jumping." Elly's eyes gleamed but then she cocked her head to the side.

"What's that?"

"I'll show you," Reno said, turning to Tifa. Elly mimicked him. "Do you want to join us mommy?" Both redheads started pouting then and Tifa sighed, helpless before her two redheads.

"Why not?" Elly cheered and Reno smiled. They went outside then but only after Tifa made sure Elly was wearing her pink raincoat.

Puddles littered the asphalt outside and Reno bent down to look at Elly.

"This is puddle jumping." He then ran up towards the nearest puddle and leaped feet first into it, water splashing outwards. Elly's eyes widened and she clapped her hands.

"Daddy, that looks so fun!" She then ran towards a puddle a little further away, leaping into it with all her might. She giggled at the splash of water caused by this and ran back to Reno, hugging him tightly around the legs. "Thanks so much Daddy!" Reno ruffled her hair and smiled.

"You're welcome Elly." Elly looked back at Tifa then.

"Mommy you should puddle jump too!"

"I don't know- but she was cut off by Elly running up to her, taking her hand, and being nearly dragged towards a monster of a puddle. Elly looked expectantly up at Tifa.

"Ready?"

And as Reno watched, Tifa jumped into the puddle, her eyes lighting up with unexpected joy. But his observation was cut off when Elly and Tifa called out for him to join them. So with a contented smirk on his face, he went to his family while some sunlight shone through the clouds overhead.


End file.
